Dictionary · Hacking Techniques and Methodologies
Exploitation
Assessment phases · Advanced
Using a weakness to cause an effect the owner did not intend. In a professional setting it is done only inside a written scope, and the point is to prove impact so the weakness can be fixed.
Defenders care that a weakness is usable, because that raises urgency. The right follow-up is to patch, mitigate, and retest. This site explains the word and does not provide a method.
Example: A lab report says a missing patch can be used to run code the owner did not intend. The ticket's action is to install the patch and verify the exposure is gone.
Common misconception
- Being able to name this phase is not permission to try it. Scope, ownership, and the law still apply.